Atlanta Dream on Brink of Eliminating New York Liberty After Overtime Thriller
The Dream hold a 2-0 series lead and are favored to close out the WNBA semifinal series at home.
The Atlanta Dream are one win away from advancing to the WNBA Finals after defeating the New York Liberty in a dramatic overtime Game 2. The Dream have now won four consecutive games against the Liberty, dating back to the regular season, and are positioned to eliminate New York in Game 3 of their semifinal matchup.
The Dream secured their latest victory following a controversial timeout call at the end of overtime. Liberty players stated they were informed they had no timeouts remaining, while officials later asserted they had been told the opposite. Despite the officiating debate, the Liberty face elimination with a must-win Game 3 on Friday night at Barclays Center.
New York's loss in Game 2 was compounded by their struggles with turnovers. The Liberty committed 17 turnovers in the game, leading to 28 points for the Dream. Over the first two games of the series, Atlanta has capitalized on turnovers to score a combined 60 points. This pattern of surrendering possessions has been a recurring issue for the Liberty, who had acknowledged sloppy play in Game 1.
Even without their leading scorer, Allisha Gray, the Dream managed to secure the win. Gray, considered one of the league's top two-way players, is currently sidelined. The Dream's ability to win close games and force opponents into mistakes, particularly through their defense, has been a key factor in their success against New York.
The change of venue for Game 3 may provide a slight energy boost for the Liberty, but the consistent performance of the Dream suggests they have found a formula to win against New York. The Dream's defense and ability to generate points off turnovers present a significant challenge for a Liberty team on the verge of elimination.
Atlanta is currently a 3.5-point underdog in Game 3, with the Over/Under set at 172.5 total points. The betting line suggests a close contest, but the Dream's recent success and the Liberty's turnover woes indicate Atlanta has a strong chance to close out the series.